Improving Asthma for All
Initiative to help adults living with asthma to have less severe asthma, fewer respiratory symptoms, a better ability to stick to treatment plans, and quit tobacco if they use it.More than 25 million Americans live with asthma. The chronic lung disease causes millions of lost workdays and results in more than 180,000 hospitalizations each year. To improve the lives of adults living with asthma, the American Lung Association, in collaboration with the CVS Health Foundation, launched the new "Improving Asthma for All" program.
Adults Living with Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes it harder to move air in and out of your lungs. It can start at any age. Asthma is life long and cannot be cured but can be controlled through good management. Thanks to research throughout the years, there are now many options to help patients manage their asthma. Through the Improving Asthma for All program, we are encouraging adults living with asthma to learn more about asthma and understand how tobacco and smoking can affect symptoms with our free online basics courses. And, if interested, exploring our proven quit smoking program.
Asthma Burden
- Black Americans and American Indian/Alaska Natives have the highest current asthma rates.
- 21% of people with asthma smoke cigarettes, which is a known asthma trigger.
- Some states have a higher asthma burden than others.
Training Healthcare Professionals and Providers
Healthcare professionals can play a key role in an individual's asthma management. From diagnosis, medication discussions, and control assessments, providers are with an individual through many steps of their asthma management journey. Whether you are a physician, nurse, respiratory therapist, or another type of health professional treating people with asthma, it is important to stay informed about asthma care, support options, and easy-to-access resources to empower your patients to gain control over their disease and reduce their severe episodes, hospitalizations, and missed workdays.
Facilitator Certification Training Scholarships
Through the Improving Asthma for All program, we are offering scholarships to health professionals, health educators and community health workers in Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, West Virginia and Fresno, California to become trained program facilitators to lead evidence-based, proven-effective American Lung Association programs at no cost, ($400 value). Learn more about each of these trainings:
- Breathe Well, Live Well Facilitator Training
Breathe Well, Live Well is the only program available nationwide that has shown to result in less severe asthma, fewer respiratory problems, and a better ability to stick to treatment plans. Facilitator training prepares you to start your own program to deliver this asthma self-management education to adults and families. - Freedom From Smoking Facilitator Training
Freedom From Smoking is ranked one of the most effective cessation programs in the country and has helped hundreds of thousands of people quit smoking for good. Facilitator training prepares you to lead group clinics for eight to 16 people quitting tobacco use.
Continuing Education
For health professionals we are offering Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Education Unit (CEU) for the following courses:
- Asthma Basics
Teaches participants to identify and manage triggers, understand the value of an asthma action plan, and recognize and respond to a breathing emergency. - Tobacco Basics
Educates participants about the toll of tobacco use in the U.S. and programs available to help tobacco users successfully quit for good. - Ask, Advise, Refer to Quit Don’t Switch
Educates healthcare professionals on how to effectively and briefly discuss tobacco cessation with patients who smoke or vape.
These programs are accredited for 1 hour of Continuing Medical Education (CME) by Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services (RMCHCS) and 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) by the American Association of Respiratory Care.
The programs included in the Improving Asthma for All initiative are intended to reach adults with asthma (including those who smoke or live with someone who smokes) and healthcare professionals. A comprehensive approach to improving asthma self-management skills and increasing awareness of environmental triggers combines our evidence-based awareness programs, proven-effective behavior modification programs and health systems change. Improving Asthma for All will work toward improving lives in states with high asthma burdens.
Have questions? Email ImprovingAsthmaforAll@Lung.org.
